Trainer Chris Waller will make sure that super mare Winx has plenty of opposition in the Group 2 $250,000 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday and could nominate at least five stablemates.
Winx, above, will line up against several stablemates in the Apollo Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
As well and Winx, Waller intends to nominate Preferment, Libran, Sacred Mater, Grand Marshall and Irish import Endless Drama for the Apollo Stakes.
Winx will be chasing her fourteenth win in succession and has finished third in two recent barrier trials at Rosehill in preparation for her 2017 Autumn Carnival debut in the Apollo Stakes.
Waller and regular rider Hugh Bowman were both satisfied with Winx’s two barrier trials with Waller saying after her second trial that the glamour mare is right on track for her first run since winning her second Group 1 $3m Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 22.
“Just getting the basics right. That what happened, finished off very well and as a result we are very happy with her,” Waller said.
“Very similar to her first trial.”
Winx is undefeated since winning the Group 3 $125,000 XXXX Sunshine Coast Guineas (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast during the 2015 Queensland Winter Carnival with nine Group 1 victories among her thirteen consecutive wins which includes back to back wins in the Cox Plate during the 2015 and 2016 Melbourne Spring Carnivals.
Endless Drama has had one run for the Waller stable since arriving from Europe when twelfth of twelve in the Group 1 $2m Emirates Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on November 5 but the former Irish galloper has finished second in two recent barrier trials at Rosehill.
Four times Group 1 winner Preferment is also set to resume for his Autumn Carnival campaign and has come through his preparation with two trials for a third at Warwick Farm on January 23 and a seventh at Rosehill in the same trial as Endless Drama.
Libran, Sacred Master and Grand Marshall have all had two barrier trials in preparation for their first up Autumn Carnival runs.
Waller has mapped out a four run Autumn Carnival campaign for Winx and said that she is at the right stage of her preparation that will peak when she runs in the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on April 8, day two of ‘The Championships’.
In between the Apollo Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Winx will run in the Group 1 $600,000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on February 25 and the Group 1 $1m George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 18.
